I was thinking about this the other day when the NCAA tournament kicked off, and I wasn't nearly as excited as I usually am. But college basketball in 2025 feels a lot like my first Christmas after finding out Santa wasn't real.

The first two days of the NCAA tournament are, by far, my favorite sports days of the year -- I absolutely love March Madness. But this year, the joy and anticipation just weren't the same. I went through the motions, filled out a bracket and watched a lot of games, but my enthusiasm level was at an all-time low.

I'm sure some of that had to do with Baylor's season, which frustrated me to the point that I was barely watching games at the end. But it's really bigger than that. The spirit of college athletics is dead.

I'm not against college players making money. But the way that NIL and transfer portal have been introduced and the impact they've had on college sports, where money is virtually the only priority in any athlete-school or athlete-coach relationship, has sucked all the joy out of college sports for me.

I saw this video today, and it just felt like the perfect embodiment of modern college athletics, and why I'm losing touch with them.

A new world in College Hoops

Q: “Why do you trust coach?”

A: “First, he did pay us the money”

Unreal

(Via @W_Brown21 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/I0dhYj73Ye

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) March 24, 2025

I'm afraid I'm reaching a divestment point with college sports, which is really depressing, as they have brought me a ton of joy over the years. But this isn't what I signed up for. I didn't fall in love with a product. I fell in love with games, players and teams that were different than their professional counterparts. Those days are long gone, I fear, never to return.

At some point, I may not either.

Unfortunately NIl has ruined collegiate athletics. The original concept of nil was a great idea. However, that concept is no more. Really never was if we're being honest. It's just pay for play now. No relationships built with staffs or programs over the course of 4 years. Players now are just hired mercenaries. It's essentially a lame version of pro sports.

bear2be2 said:

---

I was thinking about this the other day when the NCAA tournament kicked off, and I wasn't nearly as excited as I usually am. But college basketball in 2025 feels a lot like my first Christmas after finding out Santa wasn't real.

The first two days of the NCAA tournament are, by far, my favorite sports days of the year -- I absolutely love March Madness. But this year, the joy and anticipation just weren't the same. I went through the motions, filled out a bracket and watched a lot of games, but my enthusiasm level was at an all-time low.

I'm sure some of that had to do with Baylor's season, which frustrated me to the point that I was barely watching games at the end. But it's really bigger than that. The spirit of college athletics is dead.

I'm not against college players making money. But the way that NIL and transfer portal have been introduced and the impact they've had on college sports, where money is virtually the only priority in any athlete-school or athlete-coach relationship, has sucked all the joy out of college sports for me.

I saw this video today, and it just felt like the perfect embodiment of modern college athletics, and why I'm losing touch with them.

A new world in College Hoops

Q: “Why do you trust coach?”

A: “First, he did pay us the money”

Unreal

(Via @W_Brown21 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/I0dhYj73Ye

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) March 24, 2025

I'm afraid I'm reaching a divestment point with college sports, which is really depressing, as they have brought me a ton of joy over the years. But this isn't what I signed up for. I didn't fall in love with a product. I fell in love with games, players and teams that were different than their professional counterparts. Those days are long gone, I fear, never to return.

At some point, I may not either.

---

Couldn't agree more.

The myth of the "student athlete" has faded over time into non-existence. Will be interesting to see if we retain as much interest in the sport when we fully realize it is closer to a bad minor league team sponsored by our university than a group of true student athletes with whom we share some affinity of an actual college experience. I truly think at Baylor they try to maintain the student athlete experience as much as they can, but to truly do so would require not competing in major sports, which is something they aren't willing to do, and it's easy to understand why.

I suspect soon a study will come out about how few of these athletes going to multiple schools are getting their degrees, and how most of them are not getting paid enough to make it worth it for them not to have gotten their degree and an actual educations (which would require actually requiring them to go to class, etc., like they used to at least pretend to do). I don't see anyone one ESPN asking tough questions about what is in the best interest of the young "athletes" who are paid by these schools.

To be fair, money was the main priority for everyone involved at the expense of the players for decades. The NCAA did a poor job setting up parameters, and you'll never see the big school boosters advocating for changing the system since they'll just buy all the players. Don't get mad at the players for just emulating what they've seen from everyone else.

Greed and the love of money has ruined a lot of things throughout history. College sports is just another casualty. Will high school be next?

This was one of my thoughts. Greed at all levels honestly. Coaches, Players, AD's etc. it's just a more more more more more type of world. Nothing is ever enough. I mean these kids are out here demanding millions of dollars on top of endless free clothing and a FREE education. A chance to get a degree in anything they wish for free. It's a damm shame very few actually take advantage of thar

EvilTroyAndAbed said:

---

To be fair, money was the main priority for everyone involved at the expense of the players for decades. The NCAA did a poor job setting up parameters, and you'll never see the big school boosters advocating for changing the system since they'll just buy all the players. Don't get mad at the players for just emulating what they've seen from everyone else.

---

I'm not mad at the players. It was the adults, whose greed and intentional lack of leadership/action ruined college athletics.

But they're ruined nonetheless. And as a fan, assigning origin or degrees of blame doesn't really offer much solace for that fact.

I've always loved the NCAA tournament and one of the main reasons has been the potential Cinderella story of some small school team having a chance to win it all. In reality, the statistical probability of Cinderella winning it all was remote but the fact that it was there made the whole tournament interesting for me.

I look back at the March Madness thread and I posted in it multiple times this was boring because none of the Top 4 seeds were getting upset. Finally at least one did, but last week was one big borefest for me. As I reflected back on it today and saw the viral photo of the 3 FAU kids with Arkansas, Michigan, and Florida jerseys, I finally realized the possibility of a FAU or Florida Golf Coast or Loyola or insert the name of some small school ever making it to the Final 4 again is as close to 0 as you can get. Rarely will a mid-major ever make it even to a Sweet 16 going forward. With money in play, you'll basically see what you see now: SEC, B1G, Big 12 and ACC, with each year the mixture being a little different.

I suppose when NIL started I logically knew this is where we were headed, but it's finally resonating with me that we're here now. And I'm not sure I like it that well. But, that's just me.

bear2be2 said:

---

I was thinking about this the other day when the NCAA tournament kicked off, and I wasn't nearly as excited as I usually am. But college basketball in 2025 feels a lot like my first Christmas after finding out Santa wasn't real.

The first two days of the NCAA tournament are, by far, my favorite sports days of the year -- I absolutely love March Madness. But this year, the joy and anticipation just weren't the same. I went through the motions, filled out a bracket and watched a lot of games, but my enthusiasm level was at an all-time low.

I'm sure some of that had to do with Baylor's season, which frustrated me to the point that I was barely watching games at the end. But it's really bigger than that. The spirit of college athletics is dead.

I'm not against college players making money. But the way that NIL and transfer portal have been introduced and the impact they've had on college sports, where money is virtually the only priority in any athlete-school or athlete-coach relationship, has sucked all the joy out of college sports for me.

I saw this video today, and it just felt like the perfect embodiment of modern college athletics, and why I'm losing touch with them.

A new world in College Hoops

Q: “Why do you trust coach?”

A: “First, he did pay us the money”

Unreal

(Via @W_Brown21 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/I0dhYj73Ye

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) March 24, 2025

I'm afraid I'm reaching a divestment point with college sports, which is really depressing, as they have brought me a ton of joy over the years. But this isn't what I signed up for. I didn't fall in love with a product. I fell in love with games, players and teams that were different than their professional counterparts. Those days are long gone, I fear, never to return.

At some point, I may not either.

---

AAU, baby....glorified.

It also feels like the officials are calling the games in favor of the higher seeds due to all the betting and money involved. I could be wrong but looks a bit suspect. Less Cinderella teams if the game is going to be called in favor of the blue bloods will take the joy out of what March Madness is supposed to be about.

bear2be2 said:

---

I was thinking about this the other day when the NCAA tournament kicked off, and I wasn't nearly as excited as I usually am. But college basketball in 2025 feels a lot like my first Christmas after finding out Santa wasn't real.

The first two days of the NCAA tournament are, by far, my favorite sports days of the year -- I absolutely love March Madness. But this year, the joy and anticipation just weren't the same. I went through the motions, filled out a bracket and watched a lot of games, but my enthusiasm level was at an all-time low.

I'm sure some of that had to do with Baylor's season, which frustrated me to the point that I was barely watching games at the end. But it's really bigger than that. The spirit of college athletics is dead.

I'm not against college players making money. But the way that NIL and transfer portal have been introduced and the impact they've had on college sports, where money is virtually the only priority in any athlete-school or athlete-coach relationship, has sucked all the joy out of college sports for me.

I saw this video today, and it just felt like the perfect embodiment of modern college athletics, and why I'm losing touch with them.

A new world in College Hoops

Q: “Why do you trust coach?”

A: “First, he did pay us the money”

Unreal

(Via @W_Brown21 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/I0dhYj73Ye

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) March 24, 2025

I'm afraid I'm reaching a divestment point with college sports, which is really depressing, as they have brought me a ton of joy over the years. But this isn't what I signed up for. I didn't fall in love with a product. I fell in love with games, players and teams that were different than their professional counterparts. Those days are long gone, I fear, never to return.

At some point, I may not either.

---

I got there with football after they let texas gaslight them into Firing the greatest offensive coach in college football history. I knew we weren't down for the struggle.

Then Mulkey getting tossed.

Then what they've done to college in general where it's a 2 conference psyop slobber fest that will ultimately coalesce all the talent with the pass through from the networks and basically the fun is long over. I kinda pay attention but don't really care much anymore. Frankly I probably invested too much time into it but if you didn't get to enjoy peak Briles years you missed out and will never get to do that ever again so I'm glad I have those memories. And 2021 basketball.

It sucks. The cows are out of the barn and I don't see it ever getting better.

In football my long shot hope is that the P2 develops into some kind of independent semi-pro league and the leftovers can reboot some version of "old" college football with regional conferences.

At some point the NCAA needs to drop the “student first, athlete second” charade.

Billions of dollars, NIL, transfer portal (free agency), traveling cross-country for midweek games…

Education is not the main focus.
Admit it and call it what it is.
A business.

Run it as such.

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) March 24, 2025

IowaBear said:

---

Unfortunately NIl has ruined collegiate athletics. The original concept of nil was a great idea. However, that concept is no more. Really never was if we're being honest. It's just pay for play now. No relationships built with staffs or programs over the course of 4 years. Players now are just hired mercenaries. It's essentially a lame version of pro sports.

---

I didn't even notice it, but the reality is that in the last year, I simply stopped caring as much about Baylor basketball as I used to. I watched most games on TV, but there was something missing. And I think the mercenary aspect of the game and knowing these players are just in it for the money has me tuning out. What will happen is we fans will watch less and less as time goes on.

My fandom was largely eroded when the BOI handled things the way they did. It hasn't been the same since.

The rest of my remaining joy has been chipped away by the fact that players can bounce at will.

If we could resolve that issue, such as requiring players to sign multi-year deals, I think that would go a long way in stabilizing the college sports and restoring my interest.

morethanhecouldbear said:

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My fandom was largely eroded when the BOI handled things the way they did. It hasn't been the same since.

The rest of my remaining joy has been chipped away by the fact that players can bounce at will.

If we could resolve that issue, such as requiring players to sign multi-year deals, I think that would go a long way in stabilizing the college sports and restoring my interest.

---

This is exactly how I feel. If I didn't have such an emotional attachment to Drew and the basketball program being such a bright spot of joy and pulling me though some dark times in my life in college I'd probably have bounced from the sport by now.

While I hope this tournament is just a stinker for upsets which has happened before, I'm far more concerned with the obvious bias to placing bad basketball teams in the tournament for views like Texas UNC Oklahoma etc. The SEC commissioner threatening the tournament last year may have had a chilling effect on it.

End of the day though the dumpster fire of free agency and push by the SEC to kill the things they don't directly make the most money off of is going to kill all college sports and it's sad. Combine that with a baylor administration dismantling most attempts to be good at sports and I'm ending up with where I am with my small market baseball team fandom . I'll care when the ownership tries to win, otherwise I'm out

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

The problem isn't paying the players. The problem is those in charge of college athletics denying reality and dragging their feet so long on paying players that we've been left with an orderless mess that bears little resemblance to the college athletics landscape that drew most of us in.

This isn't on the players. This is on the adults, who ruined the sports we love by infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into the equation and acting like that wasn't going to cause significant issues.

bear2be2 said:

---

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

The problem isn't paying the players. The problem is those in charge of college athletics denying reality and dragging their feet so long on paying players that we've been left with an orderless mess that bears little resemblance to the college athletics landscape that drew most of us in.

This isn't on the players. This is on the adults, who ruined the sports we love by infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into the equation and acting like that wasn't going to cause significant issues.

---

This is the correct answer to anything involving NIL. I'm tired of the players continuing to be the scapegoats for exercising the power and freedom they've finally been given.

Do we need to try and get some guardrails in place? Obviously. But I'm not sure I see that happening now that the large schools in P4 are just using this current system as a feeder from mid major to major. Why would anyone from the SEC want a change from the current status quo? They're not the programs getting hurt. But the players are not at fault.

The 1 time transfer made some sense at the time. A players coach gets fired and he doesn't fit the new coaches system and won't ever play much again. Problems arising are dudes transferring multiple times and it all being about money. Revert to old school methods of transfer. You leave you sit. Have players scholarships require 3 years or graduation and then they can grad transfer to get their pay day.

The Santa comment hit the feels

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

Random, I've always staunchly been against NIL. It was obvious it was never going to work, and as much as people want to whine and moan every college athlete who received a scholarship has been paid in their career. The insane idea that the college degree is just worthless and not significant compensation is insane to me. It's hard to get a corporate job in this country without a degree and that's how players were compensated for years.

If they want this to be minor league sports then expect minor league sports interest which is what we're going to end up with.

We definitely need guardrails.

In pro sports you have salary caps and can lock players into multi-year contracts. That provides some level of equity between teams and some security for teams with their rosters.

Absent that in college sports every year is a reset and teams with the most money will always sit on top.

I guess that has always been the case in college football to a degree...but this has put the divide on steroids. Taking away the rule about sitting out a year has accelerated things as well.

It really is becoming like the Seinfeld joke that we are cheering for laundry and not players.

EvilTroyAndAbed said:

---

bear2be2 said:

---

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

The problem isn't paying the players. The problem is those in charge of college athletics denying reality and dragging their feet so long on paying players that we've been left with an orderless mess that bears little resemblance to the college athletics landscape that drew most of us in.

This isn't on the players. This is on the adults, who ruined the sports we love by infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into the equation and acting like that wasn't going to cause significant issues.

---

This is the correct answer to anything involving NIL. I'm tired of the players continuing to be the scapegoats for exercising the power and freedom they've finally been given.

Do we need to try and get some guardrails in place? Obviously. But I'm not sure I see that happening now that the large schools in P4 are just using this current system as a feeder from mid major to major. Why would anyone from the SEC want a change from the current status quo? They're not the programs getting hurt. But the players are not at fault.

---

The players aren't above criticism. There's still a right way and a wrong way to handle oneself and conduct one's business.

But if we're going to blame greed for the current state of college athletics -- and I 100 percent do -- the adults bear far more culpability than the "kids."

bear2be2 said:

---

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

The problem isn't paying the players. The problem is those in charge of college athletics denying reality and dragging their feet so long on paying players that we've been left with an orderless mess that bears little resemblance to the college athletics landscape that drew most of us in.

This isn't on the players. This is on the adults, who ruined the sports we love by infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into the equation and acting like that wasn't going to cause significant issues.

---

Infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into college sports, which has been going on for decades, never bothered you before. You said it yourself, it was only until this season. Gee, I wonder what happened between then and now that is different....

Stop with your blaming TV money nonsense. That's what made the NCAA tourney such a big deal, and easily accessible to everyone. You're trying really hard to have your cake and eat it too, and it just doesn't make any sense.

I believe paying players has contributed to the problem. But the bigger problem is the one year rental aspect of the game. Something must be done toward that end.

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

bear2be2 said:

---

BusyTarpDuster2017 said:

---

This is so rich. The same ones who unabashedly supported colleges paying for players are now the same ones bemoaning the inevitable fruit of it.

It didn't take much foresight to be able to see all this coming the moment NIL was instituted. Many of us did, and were disillusioned long before this basketball season.

Well, I guess better late than never.

---

The problem isn't paying the players. The problem is those in charge of college athletics denying reality and dragging their feet so long on paying players that we've been left with an orderless mess that bears little resemblance to the college athletics landscape that drew most of us in.

This isn't on the players. This is on the adults, who ruined the sports we love by infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into the equation and acting like that wasn't going to cause significant issues.

---

Infusing hundreds of millions of TV dollars into college sports, which has been going on for decades, never bothered you before. You said it yourself, it was only until this season. Gee, I wonder what happened between then and now that is different....

Stop with your blaming TV money nonsense. That's what made the NCAA tourney such a big deal, and easily accessible to everyone. You're trying really hard to have your cake and eat it too, and it just doesn't make any sense.

---

I've been talking about this for years, maybe decades.

This year was just the breaking point because the on-field/on-court product has suffered enough as to affect my enjoyment as a fan.

You can't pump pro sports money into amateur sports and pretend they're still amateur sports. Sooner or later the unpaid will want/demand their fair cut.

Curious what kind of budget Drew is working with

“The transfer portal is crazy. There are kids asking for $2-3 million right now. The money has exploded crazy because we have no guardrails. We have no rules. It’s been as badly of a rule implemented as ever. And agents are taking advantage of it.”

— Kevin Willard on @team980

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 25, 2025

boognish_bear said:

---

Curious what kind of budget Drew is working with

“The transfer portal is crazy. There are kids asking for $2-3 million right now. The money has exploded crazy because we have no guardrails. We have no rules. It’s been as badly of a rule implemented as ever. And agents are taking advantage of it.”

— Kevin Willard on @team980

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 25, 2025

---

That's because it wasn't a rule implementation. It was court-mandated de-regulation with no plan whatsoever for the forced disbandment of existing rules.

It was a woeful lack of leadership and foresight by universities that had gotten too comfortable exploiting players while hiding behind the tin foil shield of "amateurism."

Agree - it's not nearly as fun as it used to be.

There's no logical reason that universities should be life support systems for minor league sports. Just an accident of history that it developed into this.

You could substantially fix it with multi-year contracts combined with academic requirements.

Big12Fan2024 said:

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I've always loved the NCAA tournament and one of the main reasons has been the potential Cinderella story of some small school team having a chance to win it all. In reality, the statistical probability of Cinderella winning it all was remote but the fact that it was there made the whole tournament interesting for me.

I look back at the March Madness thread and I posted in it multiple times this was boring because none of the Top 4 seeds were getting upset. Finally at least one did, but last week was one big borefest for me. As I reflected back on it today and saw the viral photo of the 3 FAU kids with Arkansas, Michigan, and Florida jerseys, I finally realized the possibility of a FAU or Florida Golf Coast or Loyola or insert the name of some small school ever making it to the Final 4 again is as close to 0 as you can get. Rarely will a mid-major ever make it even to a Sweet 16 going forward. With money in play, you'll basically see what you see now: SEC, B1G, Big 12 and ACC, with each year the mixture being a little different.

I suppose when NIL started I logically knew this is where we were headed, but it's finally resonating with me that we're here now. And I'm not sure I like it that well. But, that's just me.

---

Bingo! The excitement over the possibility of huge upsets and a Cinderella storyline is just gone. And it's not coming back. Sad. Sports in general suck compared to how they used to be. *sigh*

burg0047 said:

---

Big12Fan2024 said:

---

I've always loved the NCAA tournament and one of the main reasons has been the potential Cinderella story of some small school team having a chance to win it all. In reality, the statistical probability of Cinderella winning it all was remote but the fact that it was there made the whole tournament interesting for me.

I look back at the March Madness thread and I posted in it multiple times this was boring because none of the Top 4 seeds were getting upset. Finally at least one did, but last week was one big borefest for me. As I reflected back on it today and saw the viral photo of the 3 FAU kids with Arkansas, Michigan, and Florida jerseys, I finally realized the possibility of a FAU or Florida Golf Coast or Loyola or insert the name of some small school ever making it to the Final 4 again is as close to 0 as you can get. Rarely will a mid-major ever make it even to a Sweet 16 going forward. With money in play, you'll basically see what you see now: SEC, B1G, Big 12 and ACC, with each year the mixture being a little different.

I suppose when NIL started I logically knew this is where we were headed, but it's finally resonating with me that we're here now. And I'm not sure I like it that well. But, that's just me.

---

Bingo! The excitement over the possibility of huge upsets and a Cinderella storyline is just gone. And it's not coming back. Sad. Sports in general suck compared to how they used to be. *sigh*

---

I can go one year without major upsets, but having only the four most lucrative conferences represented in the Sweet Sixteen is a major problem. If that becomes a trend, this event will ultimately not be worth watching anymore, which is a shame considering the historical greatness of the NCAA tournament.

Granted, UConn and Colorado State were on the doorstep of changing that this year. But an argument could be made that both got screwed by the officials, leading us down a whole different rabbit hole.

God y'all depressing.

It's still the game of basketball..that's hasn't changed like the NBA where everyone chunks up 45 threes a game .


As long as the Green and Gold are participating..I'm watching...if we pull a St. Thomas and move to Division III.

Then I ain't watching.

Ratings aren't suffering… So don't see much motivation for change

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is averaging 9.4 million viewers, marking the best figure through the second round since 1993 (that's added across CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV)

+3% from 2024

Sunday alone was 10.1 million viewers, led by Duke-Baylor, Kentucky-Illinois, Florida-UConn pic.twitter.com/KWXEbWSWsq

— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) March 25, 2025

Ewalker80 said:

---

it is closer to a bad minor league team sponsored by our university

---

This is a good point.

The NBA and especially the NFL have it made.

We are running minor league systems for them.

Being a fan is not as fun… And I imagine coaching is not as fun either

Tom Izzo today on the transfer portal opening while the NCAA tournament is still going: pic.twitter.com/EXv3JxkZom

— A Barstool Podcast Compared Izzo to Hitler (@MoneybaggH0E) March 25, 2025